Tanning process



UNITED STATES PATENT 'rricn.

TANNING PROCESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,427, dated March 3, 1891.

Application filed November 28, 1890.

To all whom itmaygoncern:

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM E I-IEDGES, a citizen of the United States, residingat Polk Bayou, in the county of Sharp and State of" Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processesof Tanning Hides; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in use the same.

First. Soak all hides until perfectly soft. Then remove all flesh from the hides. Then lime them with the following composition: twelve gallons of water, ten quarts of lime, and ten quarts of ashes. Immerse the hides in the same. The oftener the hides are aired the quicker the hair will slip. Then the hair slips easily, raise the hides and put them in clear water and let them soak a while to prevent the lime from injuring the hands. Then take them to the beam and remove all the hair. Then put them in clear water and let them remain until the lime is all removed. Now take them to the table and with a steel sleek remove all the water possible by Working them well on the flesh side. Then they are ready for the tan. Prepare the tan as follows:

Second. To sixteen gallons of strong oak ooze, one pound of oak-bark to the gallon of water, add four pounds of salt. Then im-. merse the hides in the same and let them remain until the grain side has a bright straw color. Then add ten pounds of gum-gambier and sixteen ounces of alum.

Third. Raise the hides three or four times a day for the first day. Then let them remain until tanned, which will take from one to twenty-five days, according to the thickness of the hides. .All hides, after being tanned, should be washed thoroughly to re move the ooze and thus prevent staining.

Fourth. Take the hides to the table and with a steel sleek Work them thoroughly on the flesh side, and then hang them in the shade. Then about half dry, oil on the grain side with tanners oil and on the flesh side with oil and tallow, in equal parts, and then hang in the shade to dry. When dry, take them to the beam and take a thin shaving off the art to which it appertains to make and Serial No. 872,888. (No specimens.)

the flesh side. Now they are ready for blacks- Fifth. Prepare the blacking as follows: to

"onecquart of oil add ten grains of bicarbonate ot'potash, two ounces of lamp-black, and one-fourth pint ofooze. Apply the same to the leather with the brush; and when black ened rub well with a woolen rag, and then T oil them, and they are finished.

Having described my process, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of tanning hides, which 0011- sists in first soaking them until perfectly 6 5 soft and then removing all flesh; then liming them with the following composition: twelve gallons of water, ten quarts of lime, ,ancLten quarts of ashes; then when the hair slips easily raising them and putting them in clear water to soak a while; then removing all hair; then soaking in clear water until the lime is removed; then removing all water that can be removed by working them on the flesh side; then tanning by immersing them in a mixture of sixteen gallons of strong oak ooze and four pounds of salt and letting them remain until the grain side is a bright straw color; then strengthening the ooze by adding ten pounds of gum-gambier; then adding one ounce of alum to one gallon of ooze; then. raising the hides two or three times the first day; then letting them remain until tanned, and then Washing thoroughly.

2. The process of tanning hides, which consists in first soaking them until perfectly soft and removing all flesh; then liming them with the following compound: twelve gallons of water, ten quarts of lime, and ten quarts of ashes; then when the hair slips easily rais- 9o ing them and putting them in clear Water to soak a while; then removing all hair; then soaking in clear water until the lime is removed; then removing all water that can be removed by working them on the flesh 5 side; then tanning by immersing them in a mixture of sixteen gallons of strong oak ooze and four pounds of salt and letting them.remain until the grain side is a bright straw color; then strengthening the ooze by adding ten pounds of gum-gambier; then adding one ounce of alum to one gallon of ooze;

then raising the hides two or three times for shade to dry; then taking them to the beam the first day; then letting them remain until and taking a thin shaving oil": the flesh side. 10 tanned; then Washing thoroughly; then with In testimony whereof I affix my signature in a steel sleek working thoroughly on flesh side; presence of two Witnesses.

5 then hanging in the shade, and when about \VILLIAM E. IIEDGES.

half dry oiling them on the grain side with \Vitnesses: tanners oil and on the flesh side with oil and JOHN S. VVILKERSON, tallow, in equal parts; then hanging in the JOSHUA VANN. 1 

